Nestled among orchards in the popular village of Sudbourne in Suffolk is Heron Cottage, an idyllic pair of cottages that have been immaculately restored in a pared-back palette to create one large house that speaks to the traditions of old Suffolk. The house is surrounded by a collection of individually designed outbuildings; a library and studio, a ‘think shed’, a potting shed, hay barn and wood store that are each crafted for their purpose. Sitting in a bucolic two-acre plot, the buildings have been designed with simplicity, truth to materials and a gentle way of life in mind.

Originally built as a row of six workhouse cottages on the the Marquis of Hertford’s estate, and converted to three houses in the 1930s with lovely Crittal windows and terracotta sills, Field End Cottage and Heron Cottage have long been a pair and used as a single residence. However, the cottages remain legally separate dwellings and are almost mirror images of each other – with their own kitchens and bathrooms.

The current owners use the right hand cottage as the main entrance to a large kitchen with marble slabs, an aga and a sunny dual-aspect view of the garden. Behind this is a thoughtfully conceived larder and scullery, with a large reclaimed Doulton sink and corrugated-iron draining board. Each functional element in the house has been crafted to suit a simple way of life, while remaining incredibly beautiful. In the adjacent living room, a huge vintage Scandinavian Jøtul wood-burning stove sits in the middle of the room in a sculptural manner, against the white-painted walls and concrete floors.

Upstairs there are two bedrooms and a bathroom with elegant roll-top bath from which one can look out towards Tunstall Forest. The landing was once used as a third bedroom, something which could easily be reinstated. This layout is repeated in the adjacent cottage (with an additional WC and laundry room).

When the doors are thrown open from one room to the next, there are wonderfully curated sight lines through doorways and to the garden beyond. Lovely original floorboards, exposed beams and original fireplaces have been retained throughout, and combined seamlessly with tongue and groove panelled walls.

The house sits at the end of a long drive, with parking adjacent. The current owners leave the cars a short distance from the house, so that the approach is via a softly-mown footpath that winds through the garden. Surrounding the house is a lawn, perfect for afternoon meals outside, and the rest of the garden is planted with mature sloe, apple, quince, plum and evergreen trees.

Each of the collection of outbuildings that surround the house has a well-considered aesthetic. A large double studio and library, right next to the house, has space to show films and a loft that is perfect for reading. Adjacent, the ‘think shed’ is clad in tonal boards and left bare except for a woodburner and rowing machine. Next to the vegetable garden is the potting shed, the hayloft by the chicken run, the wood-store hidden amongst the trees. Heron Cottage and the surrounding land is arranged for a thoroughly modern, yet rural way of living.

The current owners have furthermore undergone the pre-application planning process, identifying a potential site in the garden (pictured). In principle, one of the two residential elements that makes up Heron Cottage and Field End Cottage could be used to gain planning for a separate dwelling in the garden subject to planning.

Heron Cottage lies less than three miles from the sea in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB, between much-loved Aldeburgh and Orford. The latter, a pretty medieval village on the River Alde just a five-minute drive away attracts visitors for its twice daily drops of fresh lobster and crabs, its renowned oysterage and smokehouse and the excellent Pump Street Bakery. Aldeburgh is famed for ice cream, fish and chips, and as the home of Benjamin Britten, while nearby Snape Maltings is a world-renowned centre of music and a visitor destination of great beauty, also popular with local residents.

The house is a forty-five minute drive from Ipswich, where trains run to London Liverpool St in just over an hour. Wickham Market train station is a short twenty-minute drive away.

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.